The existing Lidl supermarket on Arklow’s Wexford Road is set to be demolished and replaced by a much larger store, with planning permission now in place for the redevelopment of the site.
The familiar Lidl store on the Wexford Road, along with the adjoining former Healy premises, will eventually make way for a new single-storey supermarket as part of a major redevelopment of the site. Wicklow County Council originally granted planning permission for the redevelopment in September 2024.
A subsequent application submitted by Lidl Ireland sought a number of amendments to those plans, and the revised proposal increases the size of the new store slightly.
A much bigger store
Under the original permission, the new Lidl was approved at approximately 2,290 square metres gross floor area, with a net retail sales area of approximately 1,452 square metres. The amended plans increase this to approximately 2,350 square metres gross, with a net retail sales area of 1,518 square metres.
That represents an additional 60 square metres of overall floor space compared with the previously approved plans. The additional space comes from two extensions to the western and southern sides of the proposed building, while the overall principal dimensions of the building remain unchanged.
The planning documents state that the revised store will provide a more efficient layout, with changes to areas including the sales floor, storage, freezer and bakery areas, customer toilets and staff facilities.
Existing Lidl and former Healy buildings to be demolished
The redevelopment will involve the demolition of the existing Lidl store, which currently measures approximately 1,357 square metres gross. The adjoining former Healy premises, consisting of one two-storey and two single-storey commercial buildings, will also be demolished as part of the redevelopment.
The original planning permission covers the demolition of those buildings and the construction of the new supermarket on the extended site. The latest application confirms that the demolition element remains unchanged.
The new supermarket will remain a single-storey building, with an additional mezzanine plant deck. One noticeable change in the latest plans concerns the Wexford Road frontage.
The proposed store will feature full-height glazing along the Wexford Road façade, replacing the previously proposed arrangement which included a section of cladding above the windows. According to the planning statement, Lidl says the change will create a stronger and more prominent frontage onto Wexford Road.
100 car parking spaces
There will be 100 car parking spaces at the redeveloped site. The number of spaces is not changing as part of the latest amendment. Instead, the spaces will be rearranged to accommodate the changes to the building and site layout. Cycle parking will also remain part of the development, although its position will be altered slightly.
The plans also include revised landscaping, boundary treatments and changes to the location of the trolley bay, bin store and building-mounted signage.
The redevelopment includes a revised Lidl vehicular access arrangement along with associated parking and site works.The planning application states that there will be no change to the permitted trading hours. There will also typically be one main delivery per day, with a maximum of two deliveries possible on occasion.
The planning documents do not give a specific construction start date. Before construction can begin, a detailed Construction and Demolition Waste Management Plan must be agreed with Wicklow County Council. This must include details such as the construction programme, traffic management, noise and dust mitigation measures and construction lighting.
Planning conditions also restrict construction hours to 7am–7pm Monday to Friday and 8am–2pm on Saturdays, with no construction permitted on Sundays or public holidays except in exceptional circumstances with prior approval.
The permission also requires a Stage 3 Road Safety Audit to be completed before the new development can be occupied.
A significant change for the Wexford Road
While the latest application only makes relatively modest changes to the plans already approved, the overall redevelopment will result in a very different Lidl store from the one currently operating on the Wexford Road.
The existing supermarket and former Healy buildings will be cleared, with the site redeveloped to provide a larger modern store, revised parking and access arrangements, new landscaping and a substantially different frontage onto the Wexford Road.
The latest application describes the increase in retail space as relatively minor compared with the already-permitted development. For shoppers in Arklow, however, the end result will be a significantly larger Lidl than the existing store.
The redevelopment is subject to the conditions attached to the planning permission, and a construction start date has not yet been confirmed.
Arklow News will provide further updates if details of the construction programme or temporary arrangements for customers are announced.
